The Vandra Sisters
by The Alciontae Shadow
Summary: The epilogue is up with which to make the masses rejoice. Fake honey and sugar for those who review! Completed fic!! ^_^
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Gundam Wing characters, nor the original idea. Did any of you actually think I did? I didn't think so... TopaZ and Kylee Sai~en are mine as well as ShadowLeaves and Ice Palace; if you feel the urge to steal them, tell me first.  
  
Note: I tried to be as true as possible to the original idea, but I also made this my own. I can say nothing else but ENJOY!! And never forget to review! ^_^  
  
Archiving: I doubt I'll get lotses of e-mails begging for this to be archived, but if you want to, e-mail me. Now on to the story.   
  
  
I have arrived.  
~File 17, Subfile 1 of the thoughts of  
Kyle Vandra~  
  
The five Gundam pilots all watched as the stern-faced girl gracefully climbed from the cockpit of her green and silver Gundam, ShadowLeaves. None of them really wanted her there; not even the kindest of them, Quatre, could bring himself to. All of them were somewhat surprised at the pain-lines etched gently over her face, at the almost-white scar gracing her forehead. The girl-Kyle was what they'd been told her name was- slowly shifted her gaze from the extensive hangar to the five boys, all glaring sullenly at her.  
"I'm Kyle." She said simply- the boys only continued to glare. "I'll have you know," she continued, her soft voice grating against her lack of beauty. "the I only came here because I was ordered. I have more important things to do than argue with a bunch of boys as to why I can and should be fighting." A pause before she continued. "So, if you could please just show me my room so I can take a bath before I begin repairing ShadowLeaves, I'll be out of your faces."  
The black-haired boy scowled, thoroughly disgusted. "You would take care of yourself before your Gundam. How weak you must be."  
Kyle just ignored the sneer coloring his voice, only deigning to reply, "You must be Wufei. My Tasker warned me about you. I am only taking a bath so I will be relaxed enough to be capable of taking care of my Gundam. If it makes you feel better, thoug, go on calling me weak." Her voice rose in inquiry, "My room?"  
Quatre closed his mouth, grimaced, then nodded to show he would be the one to show her to her room. "I'll show you. Just follow me." He paused uncertain about something. "Would you like me to take your bags?" His eyes widened when she only shook her head, scowled, and muttered, "What bags?" before walking away, heels clicking- slowly enough for him to catch up. Gaining only a sympathetic look from Trowa and a broad grin from Duo, Quatre hurried after the retreating figure.  
  
***  
{About Twenty Minutes Later}  
  
Four of the five male Gundam pilots sat, staring relentlessly at the door; waiting for the blond pilot to return. None talked, just stared. At the hint of the door opening, all perked up. Finally, they could begin their little conference.  
"Wow Quatre, that took awhile, didn't it? You better be more careful about being gone so long, or else Trowa might get jealous." Duo commented, dashing across the room to avoid Heero's hand reaching for his long braid.  
"Baka!" Heero muttered when he missed.  
"You love me anyway, though, Heero." Duo answered, slyly smiling.  
Wufei cleared his throat, "Do you not realize what an injustice this is? They send us a weak..." he paused, almost unable to say the word. "... woman! We don't need this! Only strong people should fight!" His voice shook with the conviction he so obviously felt.  
"Well then," a new, feminine voice sprang from nowhere, "it's good to know Kyle was so well received. I know how she is..." The boys glanced wildly about, searching for the source of the voice. It was, unlike Kyle's, somewhat scratchy and unrefined. But when the speaker stepped in through the door, she shocked all five of the pilots. She was as light as Kyle was dark. "My sister doesn't like many people... and many people don't like her because of the way she is. Almost works out."  
Luckily, it was Trowa who spotted Wufei's gawking mouth, his staring eyes. He quickly elbowed the entranced pilot into reality in time for him to get into the conversation.  
"Wufei called her weak. Does that sound like being well received?" Duo called out. Wufei groaned and shot the blissfully ignorant boy a look Heero would have envied.  
"So, could you show me her room? If we ever get sent to the same place, we usually share a room; it's like a big reunion thing..." She smiled, her shiny lips glinting mockingly in the Chinese boy's eyes.   
Suddenly- amid many startled looks from his comrades- Wufei stood up, almost eagerly. "Hello-" he stopped, confused.  
"TopaZ. I'm sorry. I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm TopaZ Vandra, pilot of Gundam 07 otherwise known as Ice Palace. In case she was in a hurry to get to her Gundam, therefore being brusque, my sister is Kyle Vandra." Her smile faded. "I don't know why she changed it. She had such a pretty name... Kylee Sai~en Vandra. I know this might sound weak, but could someone take my bags? The flight was a bitch." Smiling, she pointed behind her towards a small pile of bags.  
"Hello, Topaz-"  
"TopaZ." The light girl corrected him, "Go on."  
"TopaZ. I'll be happy to help you with your bags." Briskly, he walked to the bags, picked them up, and gestured for her to follow him, walking down the hall Quatre had just recently come from.  
As they walked away, Duo motioned for the others to come close before whispering conspiratorially, "The Wu-man's got it bad." Duo giggled, Quatre smiled, Trowa looked slightly thoughtful, and Heero only raised an eyebrow.  
"So what do you guys think of these Vandra sisters?" Heero asked, sobering the mood.  
Quatre spoke up first. "The whole way to her room, Kyle just stared ahead- as if she were somewhere else. She was very distant. Even worse than Heero at his worst." The others looked mystified at the idea of a cold, distant expression worse than that Heero constantly wore. It seemed almost impossible. It took them until Wufei returned to find the three of them shocked, Quatre staring blankly at the others, before they could speak again. This time it was Wufei's turn to spread the gossip.  
"Kyle isn't as emotionless as we first thought. I heard her muffled shrieks of joy when she saw her sister. She does feel. Such weakness." The Chinese boy sneered at the thought of actually shrieking just because you saw someone.  
Trowa's barely audible voice joined them for the first time, "If she's weak, I'd hate to wonder what you think about TopaZ..." His emerald eyes glittered when he saw he had struck a chord. "I have a small bit of advice, Wufei. See what they can do before you call them weak. So, Quatre, you hungry? The blond Arabian nodded joyfully, almost skipping out of the room in his lover's wake.  
"I don't know if I like it when he speaks," Heero said into the silence, "but I do know I'll listen. Duo, what did you think of the sisters?"  
The American grabbed his braid, slightly tugging at it. "well, Kyle had a voice, but she was no prize in the face area. Her body, though... If I didn't have Heero, I'd definitely be tempted by both. TopaZ, well, TopaZ was a LOOKER! In all shapes, sizes, and forms. Her voice was kinda scratchy, though..." the happy-go-lucky pilot frowned slightly, scratching his head. "I think once we get to know both of them, they'll go through all of the nine hells for us, maybe even twice. 'Till then, we'll have to see." He suddenly smiled. "Heero, I'm kinda bushed, but you see, my back's all tight and stuff. A massage would be useful..." His lips pursed sensuously, hoping to lure Heero in.  
It worked! "All right. 'Night Wufei. Don't wake up in her bed tomorrow; Kyle'd probably eat you for ruining their reunion..."  
Wufei watched the two lovers walk out somewhat sadly. He sometimes felt so lonely, all by himself. No! He ordered himself, you will not allow yourself to covet feelings for this weak onna! Secure in the knowledge that he had kept himself from loving her, the pilot of Nataku walked silently to his room on the other side of Quatre and Trowa's.  
  
  
  
End Chapter Two of the Vandra Sisters. More will be out later. For any reviewers who do decide to bother with this story, I am quite willing to review any one of your stories at my convience. Have a nice day. My entertaining of the masses duty has been fulfilled for a short while, more is forthcoming, no worries. ^_^  
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, never thought I did.  
  
Note: There are none; for once. {Leans back from the force of the cheers.}  
  
I would like to apologize for the formatting, but there are problems with my computer which pretty much leaves me screwed...  
  
  
  
Mean people suck, and those who judge before they see suck even more.  
~File 16, Subfile 1 of the thoughts of  
TopaZ Vandra~  
  
"Kyle, what did you do to those boys out there?" TopaZ asked her bathing sister. "The black-haired one, Wufei I think his name was, called you weak. Most likely twice. The one with the braid seems fun, though his lover appears to be very cold. Almost as bad as you when you get angry or don't know people. Otherwise known as always." The blue-haired girl grimaced. "Wufei's the only straight one. Poor us! Five HOT guys and only one who doesn't have a lover already. If you want, he's yours..."  
  
Kyle sighed, standing up from the deep tub, gracefully toweling herself off. "That's okay. I don't think he'll like me much after I humiliate him tomorrow. You're right about Duo and Heero, though, I think I might get along better with the other couple." She glanced at the wall clock, effficiently set in military time. "Abundant apologies about cutting you short, sister-mine, but ShadowLeaves has GOT to be repaired! Love ya! Muah!" Donning her distant expression as she donned her clothes, the Irish girl walked out of the room.  
  
"We WILL talk later, Kyle. I need your oppinion on the other pilots. It's part of my assignment." TopaZ called into the deserted hallway. "She's so anti-social. Even with me sometimes. Oh well. Maybe a bath will help. Then lots of r and r- at least for tonight..."  
  
***  
  
The deep auburn of her hair shone, accentuating the natural streaks of black coursing through the deep reds. Her green eyes were half-lidded as she stalked through the halls towards the hangar where her beloved ShadowLeaves slept, giving her the appearance of being half-alseep. However, her mind worked furiously. She didn't think about just one thing, though. Oh no- that would waste precious time! On the backs of her semi-closed lids pictures flashed by; pictures of ShadowLeaves, the other pilots, the fight she had almost lost...  
  
{Flashback}  
  
"Kylee Sai~en, don't you dare come back to get me! I'm lost." Josh's voice echoed hollowly over the Comm system.  
  
"Josh, you know I won't do that. You know I CAN'T do that. I will free you!" Kylee Sai~en turned her Gundam, Leaves of Light, away from her captured companion, tears flowing in the lack of gravity, floating hopelessly about.  
  
"I love you Kylee Sai~en-chan. Now, go before you get caught too! Promise me you won't come get me." Nothing answered him. "Promise me!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Josh, but I can't do that. See you soon, love." So saying, she clicked her Comm system off, flying away.  
  
{Flash to a week later}  
  
Kylee Sai~en looked nothing like her usual self. She had systematically smeared dark body paint on herself; the clothes of light blues and greens she'd exchanged for a hunter green suide barmaid shirt, black leather pants, and her favorite boots that had never matched her lighter outfits. A cold smile had replaced the genial expression usually covering her visage.  
  
Silently, she crawled through a narrow airduct, peeking hopefully down into each room she came across. At one time, she thought she had found him, but all she saw proved to be a head of ginger hair, exactly like, Josh's; the face was turned away, though, and the body was nowhere to be seen. Shaking her head regretfully, the teen continued on.  
  
Finally she came to the prison control room where two soldiers reclined, discussing a recently tortured prisoner. "It took almost twenty-four hours for them to make him scream. The doctors did not like him much." The younger one told the older.   
  
"Yes, but eventually they cut his head off. I heard it was because he only screamed one name and his eyes just kinda bored coldly into the doctors'." The older soldier quietly said.   
  
Eyebrows raised in doubt, "Do you know the name? I mean, did they disclose it to the public?"  
  
"They didn't have to disclose it-if you were on that floor, the one above it, or the one below it you could HEAR the name. It was kinda long." He paused, thinking. {Something very hard for this soldier-boy to do} "Oh, yeah! I remember, now! Ky Lee Say On or something like that..."  
  
The unfortunate soldiers were not allowed to finish their conversation. A grief-ridden moan echoed through the airducts, followed by a loud clanking as the grate fell with a crash on the younger soldier's head. The older soldier could only stare at his friend's oddly angled neck, looking quite like a leached fish.  
  
"You bastards!" Kylee Sai~en screamed at his face. "I'll kill you!" So saying, she grabbed one of the stilettos holding her hair up, flinging it with long-practiced skill. The man had only time to touch the black-ish blood bubbling from his mouth before falling forwards, onto his face.  
  
The near-hysterical girl marched over to the cell controls; punched every button at hand, opening the doors. Yet, one of the buttons she pushed ended up being the self-destruct initializer. Explosions roared all over the ward, attracting soldiers and guards like ants to a picnic. They quickly surrounded the control room, capturing the now prone girl on the floor. Many rapid movements followed, many orders were given; the girl was speedily chained and locked in a closet to be dealt with later.  
  
{Back in present}  
  
I am very sorry about how short this is, but I am just copying the chapters I've already written, so I have no real control. That is also why I plan on putting up the third chapter up just after I get it copied.  
~The Alciontae~ 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Own them, I do not. You know it, I know it, eventually there will be getting over it.  
  
I have nothing else to say but, enjoy the entertaining of the masses. ^_^  
  
  
  
Everytime I think I've been able to forget, something always seems to come and make it bite me in the ass once again. The pain of that reality, that past always returns and seems to leave me in a corner, sobbing like I haven't since that night. Damn...  
~File 17, Subfile 1 of the thoughst of  
Kyle Vandra~  
  
Kyle's eyes clouded as her hands groped along the wall, searching for a door. Once she found one, she wrenched it open; stumbled in. Moans were softly being emitted from the bed; they had clearly been concentrating intensely on what they were doing. Undisturbed, not noticing the new occupant in the room, they continued what they were doing.  
  
Quickly, the Irish girl removed herself from the room of black curtains and sheets to enter one completely blank. Obviously, no one lived in this room. Shutting the door with her foot, she slid down the back and curled up with nothing but the door for support.  
  
I thought I'd shuttered that memory. Why did it have to resurface itself now? Hot tears she loathed to think about spilled angrily down her cheeks and over her nose, creating a pool of moist salt under her head. That Chinese boy was right... I am weak. Stupid chit! Too stubborn to admit it, too stupid to even realize it. Well, I'll stop that. I just won't let myself feel. Maybe that'll help... The fountain stopped as she wiped the streaks away. I can't allow myself to feel anymore. It's just not worth it.  
  
  
{Flashback}  
  
  
The hand swung back, then forward to leave a stinging area on Kylee Sai~en's cheek. Someone disdainfully let fly a glob of spit. The auburn hair did not receive it gracefully, sending it trailing down to land on a naked, bruised shoulder. The chains restraining her proved to be the only thing that saved the disrespectful soldiers. Knowing that struggling would be useless, she kept herself from even flinching. Quietly she ground her teeth and rattled her chains. The defiant action captured the attention of the soldier who had become bored with the games of cat and trapped mouse just now; he had tired of raping her half an hour ago. Suddenly, his expression changed from one of cruelty to one of intense, malicious enjoyment- he had a new game to play.  
  
A crooked grin covered his face as he reached for the hunting knife sheathed at his side. The familiar swish as fine-honed metal left it's bed, the well-known metallic tang of it in the air caught the unmoving girl's attention. The man reached over, gently rubbing his thumb in a line across her forehead.  
  
"Right there, m'girl. That's where Emilaine," he lovingly caressed the new-looking knife. "will enter to drink your blood." His grin didn't dim, though it did become one of concentration as he carefully placed Emilaine's sharp tip on one side of Kylee Sai~en's forehead, slowly slicing towards the other.  
  
Ignore the pain. Either let it kill you or escape. Either way it eventually stops. The girl absently heard before jerking her head back and spinning to hit the unchii in the temple with the heavy iron manacles. Waiting until he was on the ground, she grabbed the key to her freedom, swiftly clicking the chains away. Grabbing the now-familiar Emilaine, Kylee Sai~en left the chamber, pausing only to quickly gut the remaining soldiers.  
  
Blood trickled down her face, soon brightening the red of her eyebrows. After a few more minutes, it became obvious that she would have to stop briefly to cover the oozing gash before the blood dripped into her eyes. Yet, she continued running through the halls of the OZ base, every now and then running her sleeve across the slash, hoping to curb the bleeding.   
  
Sirens wailed all through the corridors, greeting her at every corner. The Irish girl sighed, knowing she was lost. It didn't matter, though; she WOULD get out! She would NOT die! Every turn brought her closer to an exit, closer to leaving the thing closest to the worst of the hells she'd ever seen. Finally, she came to a door leading outside. It seemed as if the guards had conveniently gone elsewhere. Her eyes and mind refused to see the trail of dead soldiers, guards, and civilians she had encountered and then killed. She had not yet become the cold, isolated girl that she would make herself into.  
  
Just before opening the gate to leave, the confused Kylee Sai~en glanced back, once again seeing the decapitated, ginger head. The memory enraged her and so she threw the knife, Emilaine, into the nearrest person then kicked the gate open. She would never allow herself to care again. Never! She told herself as she walked away from Josh and the sweet girl she had once become. An ironic smile replaced the snarl she'd been wearing as she thought about ways to retrain herself. She decided, as she stalked away from her past, that she couldn't be close to anyone other than her sister, TopaZ, from now on.  
  
The first night after leaving had been awful. But it was a major part of how Leaves of Light's pilot would change. Having no money, she had been forced to sleep under a small cluster of thorned bushes. The cool autumn air caressed her fevered skin, tried to supress the sickness converging on the weary teen. The rags she wore helped only add to the infections covering her heavily wounded body. After going into a fitul sleep, the night mares began...  
  
First came the soldier assigned to torture her. His eyes were glazed, and a dark bruise marred his left temple. His hand lashed out, reslicing her forehead open. He then mercilessly raped her once more before disappearing into the mists surrouding the unwalled chamber. Then, each of the people she had unknowingly murdered paraded themselves in front of her, displaying horrendous wounds that never stopped gushing crimson blood. The last thing Kylee Sai~en saw before awakening ended up being her dead lover, Josh, in front of Leaves of Light, her Gundam. Before her eyes, Leaves of Light darkened from the pastel green and blues and whites to shades of black, silver, and dark green. Josh, a saddened feeling reflected in his eyes looked her over, quietly tsking at what had happened because she'd come to get him.  
  
"I have two requests, Kylee Sai~en. One," he paused, drew a breath, continued, "Leaves of Light wants a new name. Give her one. Two... allow no other man to call you Kylee Sai~en."  
  
The entreaty in his voice overpowered Kylee Sai~en; she somehow found herself agreeing. "Of course, love! But what?" Josh only shook his head, smiled, and mouthed, 'I love you,' before fading away with the mists.  
  
The moment the girl woke up she shivered- the cold had sharpened through the night, eating into her battered skin. The dream immediately caught up to her, bringing unwanted tears. And somehow she knew what to call her Gundam and herself. "I no longer answer to Kylee Sai~en. From this day forward, I am Kyle. And now, my dear Leaves of Light, you are no more. You are now ShadowLeaves. May we fight well and often." Her spine chilled, telling her her actions had been right.  
  
  
  
And that, is that. It seems longer when it's written down, but there is more to come soon. Read and review if you feel like it. Bye for now.  
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Is it really necessary to do this every single chapter??? If you really need to see one, look at Chapters 1, 2, and 3.  
  
No notes except that what's mine is mine, and you should ask before taking; common courtesy and such... Enjoy the storytime for the masses. ^_^  
  
  
  
I despise crying! Crying is weakness. Were any of the others to find me in such a state, I have no idea what on Earth might occur. The mockery and glee in that damn Chinese boy's eyes would be too much, as would the shock in the eyes of TopaZ...  
~File 17, Subfile 1 of the thoughts of   
Kyle Vandra~  
  
The tears had stopped. As had the silent sobs. Quickly she composed herself, staring angrily at the one decoration in the room, an ornate, full-length mirror. Damn feelings! She muttered as she finished a final appraisal of her appearance, finding it somewhat satisfactory. Before leaving she gave a quick, cursory glance over the bare room- she had disturbed nothing. Satisfied, the darker of the Vandra sisters opened the door and finished walking to the hangar, once again distant and cool.  
  
Five minutes later, the Irish girl walked into the sleeping chamber of her ShadowLeaves, the Celtic knots hanging from her ears tinkling. She immediately strode to the waiting Gundam standing almost docilely behind the other pilots' suits. Quietly she checked off each as she saw it; Wing Zero, Deathscythe, Sandrock, Heavyarms, and lastly, Nataku. The thought of Nataku's pilot made her screw her face in disgust. Then she stopped. No facial expression.  
  
"Can I help you?" Kyle jumped, turning as she did so, unsheathing a stiletto and dirk in the same motion. Each pointed in a rather business-like manner at body parts the interrupter would most likely miss: his crotch, his throat.  
  
No sound had she made, but for the hiss of metal as it was unsheathed; now she talked. "May I help you?" She emphasized the you, allowing sugar to sourly sugarcoat the words.  
  
The boy didn't move, only closed his eyes and swallowed... carefully. "Um. I just wanted to know if you needed help with your Gundam." He clearly did not want to move for fear of being inexpertly circumsized or beheaded. "I can't do that, though, if you don't let me move." The words trailed off as he tried to make the implications hit her.  
  
Her expressionless face twitched not at all as she spun the short blades expertly into their sheaths. The precious blades taken care of, she now had time to assess the mechanic before her. What she saw startled her mind, stopped her heart. Light green eyes stared into darker ones of pine, flecked with silver.  
  
Almost, almost, she allowed the shock to show, to pierce through her façade of coldness and distance. Then she remembered Josh. Her lips thinned as she brought an insult out of the question.  
  
"Do you help the other pilots?" Kyle asked quietly.  
Eyes widened at the iron of her voice, the nameless mechanic shook his head. "Not unless they need something done fast, m'am."  
  
"Then why would I need help? I am quite capable of taking care of ShadowLeaves all by my lonesome!" The dark teen retorted.  
  
"I just wanted a reason to get to know you. The other pilots are somewhat reclusive..." A deeply tanned hand ran through stubbly hair, a sure sign of nervousness.  
  
Mouthtips barely upturned, the newest addition to the base replied, "You tell me your name, I'll tell you mine, we'll see hoe long you want to be around me. How 'bout that?"  
  
The boy grinned, held out his hand, and told her, "My name's Jackob. What's yours?"  
  
No smile or grin of any sort answered, only a solemn, "Kyle. Shall you let me work on ShadowLeaves or not?" to which the boy nodded and bowed.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Kyle."  
  
  
***  
  
  
TopaZ was not having a good night. The male pilots had not received her sister very well, though she herself seemed close to being welcome. To add to that, a certain brown-eyed, black-haired boy kept appearing in her mind. The expression he wore never came up more than once, though one thing the shadow of the Chinese boy was obstinate about; never smile.  
  
For some reason, TopaZ felt drawn towards the serious pilot. She smiled as she thought about the many, varied ways to lighten the somber boy up quick. War brings people together who would never say a word to one another in any other circumstance; she thought to herself. It also brings them together earlier than society would usually accept...  
  
That thought brought her to think, again, of her sister, Kyle and her lost love, Josh. Josh had lightened Kyle up, showed her pastels and laughter. But then he had died and the happy Kylee Sai~en no longer had someone to lead willingly around by the nose. It was almost as if, when they scarred her face and killed her love, OZ had destroyed all hopes of happiness in the girl's life.  
  
It only took Kyle and Josh a moment to fall in love. A pang shuddered through the light girl, giving her the feeling she just almost grasped something important. Then she left, leaving her feeling empty and lonely. Feeling unpleasantly cold, TopaZ whimpered into her pillow and cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Duo snuggled close to his lover's slightly shivering form, circling one long arm around his waist. "Heero," the breath was soft and warm against the other boy's ear. "thank you."  
  
Shivering, the two of them burrowed under the covers and went to sleep.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Trowa smiled at his koi, almost asleep, curled protectively at his side. A hand reached over, tangling with the silken, white hair. Quatre smiled, half-opened his eyes, and brushed the overlong bangs from a sorrow darkened eye.  
  
"Shall we sleep, my sweet, desert angel?" the ex-circus actor inquired archly. Quatre quickly kissed Trowa before drawing him down onto the cushions, where both soon fell asleep.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Wufei watched as the head mechanic, Jackob, tried so very hard to get the scarred girl to open up. The Chinese boy didn't quite understand the girl before him. If she hadn't gotten herself scarred, she would have come close to reaching her sister in the beauty area. Or, he reflected, if she weren't so damned cold!   
  
His gaze sharpened as he studied the Irish pilot, steadily ignoring the American mechanic. Thick, auburn hair pulled back in a low pony-tail crowned an oval-shaped head. Lips that were full never turned up as far as he could see. Green eyes darker than Trowa's had been flecked with silver, almost as if some God had wanted to give her a lighter attittude than she had. Lithe muscles covered the thing body, showing it was non-stop exercise, not anorexia, that had caused the weight loss.  
  
She wasn't what he had called her; he now knew that. And he regretted saying it. If only because it might cause the beautiful blue-eyed, blue-haired sister to resent him. NO! Wufei thought to himself, anguished. I can't allow her to become close. I have Nataku, that all I need. Yet... Yet, no matter how many times he told himself that, he kept finding himself remembering a bright smile lighting up icy, blue eyes.  
  
Disturbed, the boy began walking to his bare room. Upon entering he silently stripped, then wrapped himself in a blanket on the thin pad he slept on. Sleep fluttered down to take him into her embrace as his eyelids reflected a happy face of icened blue. {A/N: Is icened even a word? If it wasn't before, it now is...} And the somber pilot of Nataku went to sleep with a smile on his face.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Jackob entered the door to his barracks room as silently as possible, hoping to avoid the other mechanics' questions. No such luck, as he found out the moment he closed the door.  
  
"What's she like?" "When's the wedding?" "How long 'till the others kill her?" "Who's the actually cute chic that came with her?" The questions stopped him short quite like a rather large wall.  
  
Shaking his dark head, he commented, "You'd think I was surrounded by nosy old ladies at some ancient quilting bee thing, wouldn't you, George?" The large basset merely grunted and rolled over. "Hmmm..."  
  
Cries of negation and dismay echoed throughout the room. "Tell us! Tell us!" they all cried out.  
  
So Jackob told them the little he had discovered from ShadowLeaves's pilot. "Her name is Kyle, she doesn't smile or talk, her Gundam means a lot to her." At calls for more information, the American could only shake his head and go to bed, a pair of silver-flecked green eyes haunting his dreams.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kyle climbed into her bed, having kissed her sister good-night, an old custom she attempted to keep up from their lost childhoods, and worried about tomorrow until sleep's chariot carried her away to visions of laughing, dancing, and a mixture of Josh and a certain, happy American mechanic.  
  
  
  
  
The masses have now been entertained. Be happy. And don't expect more for at least a few days... I have to do laundry and English expo is coming up...   
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Don't own any of them except, TopaZ, Kyle, Ice Palace, and ShadowLeaves; don't steal 'em.  
  
There were requests, and a small deal, for this part to come out, and so here is it. Enjoy. ^_^  
  
  
Slash. Lunge. Parry. Sheath. Kyle scowled, believing her dance had been done imperfectly. An imperfect dance shamed the excellent blades she possessed. She lovingly cleaned each before resheathing them and preparing to begin again. And get it right, huh? The girl told herself sternly.  
  
Quickly she began, going smoothly through each motion, gracefully completing the steps and moving on to others. If the Irish weren't so stubborn, she would have been panting deeply. At the end of the warm-up exercise, she stood there for a short while before stretching once more.  
  
"Are you ready, Kyle? I hear you're good with that short scrap metal you call a dagger set. We'll see how you are after you fight with me." Wufei's eyes glittered and the broadswords he held professionally shone.  
  
All the pilots were there. Trowa, Quatre, Heero, Duo, and even TopaZ stood scattered throughout the work-out room, all attention on the two dark figures. Suddenly, Quatre stepped up to them, "You guys, we shouldn't be fighting! We're all on the same side!" None really listened to him; they had heard it all before. Duo, who was behind him, stood ther, silently mocking the well-meaning Arabian.  
  
"That having been said, you can now begin." Heero tolled, gently reeling Duo back by his beloved braid.  
  
"Fine then. Let's go. How many blades do I keep?" as she talked, the girl gathered he dirks, daggers, stilettos, and sais from their sheaths. Two in her hair, one in the small of her back, one under the green barmaid shirt she wore, two at her hips, two at her knees, and a final two stuck in her boots. By the time she was done, most of the pilots were gawking openly at her. Only Trowa and TopaZ were unsurprised at the assorted amory secreted on her person.  
  
Her opponent's mouth opened and closed about four times before speech returned to him. "Choose six, Kyle. Then we will begin." The Chinese boy then stalked to a corner where he silently observed everything.  
  
She nodded and chose one of each type then looked them over, discarding one and picking up two others, and discarding once more. Quickly and efficiently she returned them to their homes. Nodding sharply, she turned to the corner Wufei stood in, scowling deeply.  
  
"Will you be using both of those?" pointing her chin at the broadswords, she strolled to a position opposite him. Once there, she went into the 'guard' stance, as did he. A nod was her only answer; a flicker of eyelids her only warning. Lightning fast Wufei charged, barely missing Kyle's muscled arm as she jumped and turned to face him, two dirks, 'magickally' appearing in her hands. The Chinaman laughed at the sight of the supposedly pitiful weapons she held.  
  
Surprisingly, Kyle only shook her head patronizingly then let both fly. Twin grunts came from the male pilot as his sleeves were pinned to the wall. Suddenly, he began sprouting blades everywhere- two curved ones cuffed ankles securely, two cupping his soft neck. Six mouths dropped open, even TopaZ wondered at her sister's proficiency.  
  
A cold voice flayed the last shreds of pride Wufei clung to. "Don't struggle, Wufei. My short scrap metal is very sharp. When you're done hanging on the wall, return them to me. "Quickly she turned, leaving the room full of astonished pilots.  
  
"INJUSTICE!!" Wufei cried from his perch on the wall. Suddenly, Duo burst out laughing, eyes tearing outrageously, holding his stomach. "Shut up, DOG!!"  
  
Wiping his eyes, the American grinned cheekily. "Wu-man, you got beat by that so-called weak woman. I can't say I'd want to go against her right now."  
  
TopaZ turned towards him, an odd glint in her eyes, "But Duo, you're Shinigami. You should be able to destroy her easily." Batting her eyelashes innocently, the girl walked away, calling out, "I'll be repairing Ice Palace if antone needs me."  
  
Eyes bulging, Wufei stared at the retreating figure, only speaking after she had disappeared from sight. A growl rumbled in his throat; he so hated being in the other pilots' debt. Angrily he snarled, "Help me down, you fools!"  
  
Quatre looked rather affronted, swiftly gazing at his lover whose eyebrows had traveled so high as to almost be in his hair. "Sandrock needs his swords checked." Darting out, the blond Arabian headed after TopaZ. Trowa glanced at Wufei disapprovingly before shaking his head, following the blond pilot.  
  
Frowning, Heero went to stand in front of Wufei. No expression were revealed in his voice, eyes or on his face. "Wufei, I don't appreciate being called a fool by someone stuck to a wall. Especially when that someone called the one who put him there weak only because she was a woman." Almost snarling, he stalked out of the practice room, dragging a protesting Duo by his braid with him.   
  
The Chinese boy watched in shock as his fellow pilots abandonned him. Moments later, he began glaring about. "You honorless dogs! You would leave me trapped here-" a never-ending well of curses and insults flowed from the boy's mouth to echo back at him until his voice gave out, unable to even mumble to himself.  
  
A few hours later, Nataku's pilot felt himself falling as the supports that had held him against the wall were removed. Groggily shaking his head, Wufei could only stare dumbly at his rescuer. When I get less tired and remember what happened, I think I won't even like thinking of whoever's helping me as rescuer... Slowly, the sleep haze left his eyes and feeling returned to badly abused limbs. As he blinked wildy, Wufei noticed too many light colors for it to be Kyle returning for her weapons, or any of the pilots other than Quatre.  
  
All of a sudden, Wufei's head jerked up and he backed speedily away. NOT HER! Anyone but HER! He looked up again and groaned too softly to be heard. It is. Bad enough she saw me get beat, but then she has to help me down. Another groan escaped his throat as he chafed sore ankles that had a slight line of dried blood.  
  
Something whizzed past his ear, barely missing it- something big! Immediately he shifted position enough to see what had almost beheaded him. And gawked like the villiage idiot when he saw it. Flawless, creamy legs stalked by him to stop by the sword that {should} have been too large and heavy for such a thin girl. "I came to help you down and get my sister's weapons, but if this is the 'Thank you' I deserve- two groans, I think I'll stop helping people. Especially you! You would think that after two hours of being stuck to a wall by {very} sharp objects a certain someone would be grateful, but no! Someone just groans and backs away, as if he's afraid." The rough voice paused, "Maybe I should just run you through. Then the pilots could find someone nicer than you. I'm sure they wouldn't mind. And I know Kyle wouldn't! And, personally, I'm beginning to think she didn't lie to me- that I might have been wrong about you. But I won't. So go and stay away from me!"  
  
What could she mean, 'Wrong about me'? Did she think I might have been different? The idea thriled him even as it terrified him. Nothing to do but test her. The pilot deliberately steeled himself, and when TopaZ reached for a nearby dirk, he did too.  
  
  
The masses must give me at least one review before storytime is resumed. Haha.  
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Don't own them, other than the girls and their Gundams.  
  
My apologies to the masses... I know I said I'd have two chapters out Tuesday, but I had the worst day, and so here is at least one of them. I will try to get the other one out tonight. Enjoy the story! ^_^  
  
  
  
Oh. My. God. What the fuck is happening to me?  
~File 16, Subfile7 of the thoughts of  
TopaZ Vandra~  
  
  
For what seemed like an eternity, time stopped for TopaZ Vandra. Incapable of movement, the sixteen year old stared dumbly into the unblinking, cherry wood eyes of Chang Wufei. Her hand clung to the hilt of the dirk, clammy and cold, with his larger hand barely touching hers. Anger flared into existence. How {dare} he touch me? The thought paused mournfully, suddenly taking on a new tone. How can he only touch me so dispassionately? Why doesn't he just pull me towards him? Another, different voice entered the silent conversation, Why don't you just pull {him} towards you? You're strong enough...  
  
With the thought came a compulsion to do just that. Snapping her wrist around, TopaZ grabbed the other pilot's hand and pulled. And then he was there, right next to her, smelling of spice and musk. Strangely shy, she seemed powerless to make another move. An age passed by in a second before Wufei took matters into his own hands, crushing the Irish girl to him as he kissed her, oddly gentle.   
  
As the kiss heated, a siren began blaring angrily, indicating an attack on the base they were stationed at. Snarling, TopaZ shoved away from Wufei to race to the hangar to put on her spacesuit and jump into the Gundam as pale and delicate-seeming as herself. Buttons beeped as she speedily typed code after code, frantically working to get Ice Palace out of the base and into the steadily brewing fight. A whoop of excitement escaped her as she proved herself worthy of the title, Light Bringer; a nickname given to her by Kyle since she brought the light of the Heavens or the fires of Hell to all who were her enemies.  
  
A smile fixed itself on her face as she heard her sister mutter, "Earth's Vengence has been sent for your soul. Prepare to relinquish it." Calmly and coldly over their private Comm System. Somewhat louder was Duo's proud, "Yes! Point twelve for Shinigami!" And she {had} to laugh when Quatre began begging the soulless Dolls to surrender before slicing them in half with one of his swords.   
  
And as she laughed, the Light Bringer ruthlessly cut down all who came against her, losing herself in the bloodlust of battle.  
  
Then the battle had ended, leaving seven teenagers drained and exhausted to surrender their Gundams to the mercy of the mechanics.  
  
TopaZ hastily retreated to her room to muse over a certain Chinese boy who wouldn't let her alone.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Wufei made sure that, not only had TopaZ retired to her room, but that Kyle had not as well. That done, he prepared himself for the imminent confrontation he hoped to bring about. She looks so soft. Is she? Is she warm? Knowing {that} vein of thought would help nothing, the tired pilot sluggishly smothered it.  
  
Feeling his only chance had come, Wufei walked to the door of TopaZ's room and knocked. An overly cheery voice called him in, explaining to an absent sister about the mess.  
  
"It's not Kyle, TopaZ." Wufei almost whispered. "I think I need to talk with you. Or see you. Even if you are a woman."  
  
The tall Irishwoman looked up at him sharply, not appreciating the implied tone. Any trace of cheer obliterated, she coldly replied. "Do you consider me a prostitute? Some whore you can stare at and say 'How delicate and sweet you are'? Well, I'm NOT, dammit! Does my moodiness bother you? My tears? Do they matter at all?" glaring angrily at the boy standing across from her, she began rummaging for a Kleenex or handkerchief. Feeling something sharp prick her, she hastily turned her attention to the despised hunting knife her sister had brought from the mission that had changed her.  
  
  
(Flashback)  
  
  
Dear Diary,  
They said I have another training session soon. Each and every one of the homme putains seems to become deaf any time I so much as mention Kylee Sai~en! 'Having a missing sister is no excuse to have a reprieve from the strenuous training sessions,' they say. 'Work will do you good.' Someday I'll work them!  
  
Saw one of my eventual chargestoday. Was able to stay hidden and out of sight. He was cute... Something happening in the courtyard... Must go.  
  
A quick throwing of pen, and a short sprint down the stairs brought her to the courtyard where the sharp tang of dust, blood, and stale sweat permeated. An odd grunting noise mixed with gasps and cries of distress as a bloody, dusty, broken version of the trainee pilot's sister and best friend dragged herself across the muddy grounds to the large Gundam standing neglected. The sight of the dark mecha made TopaZ shiver violently as she thought of what had happened a week and a half ago. And now a half-dead girl had returned.  
  
  
(End Flashback)  
  
  
"I don't know why she keeps this damn thing! You'd think that huge scar would be enough of a reminder, but NO, the stupid wench has to keep the damn dagger that GAVE her the scar!" angrily, she flung the blade away, plunking it nicely into the wall.  
  
Wufei looked down. "Did the woman cry?"  
  
TopaZ's eyes blazed a shining white, anger leeching all color out of orbs already almost colorless. "If I remember what she said in a slumber where only truth comes out, correctly, then she did not cry; she got free. None could stop her and all who tried were found in pools of raging leeking blood. So, no, lad, the woman did not cry, not until she had gotten out of there and realized she was alive and he was not!"  
  
Slightly stunned, the boy walked over to the large hunting knife, "Yet, she has always her Gundam..."  
  
Her eyes clearing, the Irish girl sasshayed over to where Wufei stood fingering the dagger. "Laddie buck, I will tell you two stories, and then you can tell me what a Gundam's use is."  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
"The first begins," TopaZ's grating voice lulled Wufei with the familiarity of the beginning, "in a time then war was merely a prediction of the future, and Gods were all that existed, other than animals. There were two, though, who were extremely close, though they knew it not. The others knew it, yet said nothing. And one day, these two gods, the God of Hope and the God of Unshed Tears, found that there were those willing to war with the Gods, willing to gamble it all. One by one, the Gods fled, not wanting to risk those they protected until only five remained: the God of Hope, the God of Unshed Tears, the God of Release, the God of Weaponry, and the God of Justice Needed.  
  
Those who had begun the war became restless and careless, or else they might have been the ones to survive. Yet, the last battle came and all fought valiantly and well, but somehow, when the enemy lay cold and moaning, one of the gods lay in the mud, a light, brown colored head resting in the lap of a weeping God of Hope. The gentle god begged the God of Unshed Tears to never depart, for he loved him too dearly, but to no avail. The God of Unshed Tears had died. And that is why crying is so important, for the God of Hope became able to cry after his love's departure."  
  
TopaZ turned to look at Wufei with sparkling tears in her eyes. "What was the {HOPE} of his creatures to the loss of his love? How did they help him cope?" All Chang Wufei could do was glance down, slightly abashed. "One more, my weak friend. One more."  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
"One day, two five year old girls were inside their home in some city in Ireland when screaming and gunshots echoed through the unusually quiet streets. Their parents were supposed to be home that night from a business trip and both were trying to think of what to make for dinner.   
'I know!' cried the older of the two sisters. 'We'll have Na get Chinese food! Muma and Da will like that."  
  
And so the housekeeper fetched some Chinese food for the sisters, allowing them to stay awake for the inevitable arrival of their parents.  
  
The lock clicked; in trudged the two girls' silent Mum and Da, in spirits too low for description, though fish that glow do come to mind... The sisters ran and hugged both, tugging joyfully at limp hands. Eventually, the younger asked in a curious tone, 'Muma, what's wrong?' and the indescriminate woman fell to her knees with tears in her eyes.  
  
'Be perfect, my babies. Love will always be there.' And the father merely smiled a fatherly smile before two gunshots rang through the house. Both adults fell as oddly dressed soldiers gathered the two girls together, shoving them into armored cars. And so began their training as pilots. The older of them turned six two days after that, yet she didn't receive the awaiting, hidden presents. Tell me, Wufei, did the mechas they were training to fight in help them? {DID THEY?}" tears glazed TopaZ's face as she watched a trembling, Chinese youth exit the room. "I didn't think so, Wufei. I believe I shall miss you..." dewy eyes closed as TopaZ faded into a disturbed sleep of Irish homes, gunshots, and Wufei.  
  
  
  
To the masses: Hun, I'm sorry there's only one, but I just don't have time to do more than that. Tomorrow night there will be more.  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, never did. I DO own TopaZ, Kyle, Ice Palace, and ShadowLeaves, though, don't steal them, but you can use them if you ask nicely.  
  
This is for you, the masses, as well as for you, PeZ. If you ever read it, that is... I hope you like how it's going.  
  
  
  
'Be perfect, my babies. Love will always be there,' the voice of my mother echoes back from the past, tearing my heart as I ses, once again, the ginger head of my love, my Josh. I watch Wufei walk out of the room I share with my sister on Peacemillion and hear her quiet whisper. I can hear the tears crawling down her pale, alabaster face and can stand it no longer; I'm not fond of Wufei, but I will not let him do this to her. I will go talk with him...  
~File 17, Subfile 3 of the thoughts of  
Kyle Vandra~  
  
"Kyle!" Jackob's voice echoed through Peacemillion's hangar, leaving the antagonistic girl nothing to do but turn around. "Do you need anyone to begin repair work on ShadowLeaves? If so..." his voice trailed off as he noticed the deepening scowl on her sharp face.  
  
Damn him to the nine hells! Now I have to work on ShadowLeaves {tonight}, or allow him to work on her. Dammit! And I am so tired, too... "I will be working on her. Good-night, Jackob."  
  
For a moment, the mechanic looked as if he were going to say something rude, but control had become one of his habits, and so he merely answered her with a resigned, "Good-night, Kyle," before walking reluctantly away, stopping halfway through the hangar to look back. When he saw that the girl had only begun working on her Gundam, he shrugged his shoulders and continued on his way.  
  
And Kyle worked slowly on her Gundam, yawning the entire time.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Quatre looked over his shoulder at his love. "Trowa, I have a request."  
  
The blond Arabian walked over and embraced the older boy as they looked at each other. "And what is it, Quatre?"  
  
"Can we become friends with Kyle?" his words sped up as the one visible eye widened. "Well, I mean, we weren't very welcoming to her, and the only other person besides her Gundam that she talks to is TopaZ. And I'm pretty sure TopaZ will be somewhat less available once Kyle stops talking with Wufei. I think the only one she'll have then is ShadowLeaves and her memories. And I don't think they can be very pleasant from looking at her."  
  
Trowa nodded and hugged the petite pilot. "TopaZ told me some of what Kyle told her about what happened when she received that scar and lost the light colors. I have a feeling most of what happened even Kyle doesn't remember, and it's probably the stuff that was the worst that she can't remember. Of course, we can try to befriend Kyle, Little One. On one condition."  
  
Quatre's head jerked up in surprise. "What?"  
  
"That we wait until tomorrow to attempt the very difficult... Mission-"  
  
"Accepted." And both fell to the silk cushions that were their bed.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Wufei's eyes had long since finished glazing over in shock at the appearance of ShadowLeaves' pilot. For reasons that seemed obvious to him, he had never expected a visit from the reserved girl now standing before him. She had arrived at his door two hours after he had left TopaZ with her words and stories to trouble his honor-bound mind.  
  
He just barely stopped himself from shaking his head as Kyle stopped talking and slowly took a breath. "So, will you give her a chance, Wufei? I think if you asked her, she'd like to talk." A sigh escaped her, and numb fingers rubbed over sleep-encrusted eyes.  
  
"I thought you didn't like me, onna." Came the reply as the boy fidgetted on his sleeping pad. "Why would you wish me to be with your sister if you dislike me so greatly?"  
  
Kyle's swol deepened, once again. "My feelings towards you are irrelevent, boy. The only one who truly matters is TopaZ, so, think over whatever it is she told you, but don't wait too long. Or else. Good-night, Wufei." Coldly, she glared at the Chinese boy before stalking out of the room. Tired, Wufei began to get ready to lie down and think over what the dark pilot had said to him. Needless to say, he was not looking overly forward to his lonely night.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Josh sat before her, his mahogany velvet eyes glinting joyfully in the startling darkness. Yet, his body had no substance! Kyle's hand travelled through the air with agonizing slowness to alight, with the weight of a butterfly, upon the insubstantial cheek. Oddly enough, a tingle emanated from the translucent one seated beside her.  
  
"Josh..." the word was a breath, merely a whisper of the wind, threatening to tear Kyle's crumbling sanity to pieces. "Are you here? {Why} are you here?" Urgency threaded the words and a comforting, cold tingle settled against a trembling arm.  
  
"My poor Kylee Sai~en. Look at what we have done to you. Can you ever forgive me?" Drops of salt fell as rain in the darkness and choked sobs issued from Kyle's unaccustomed throat.   
  
"Oh, Josh! There is nothing to forgive! I am the one who failed-"  
  
The translucent boy stopped the flow of words by softly placing insubstantial fingers against the girl's lips. "Hush, dearest; you will understand soon..." and with that, the darkness closed in on the waiting girl and threw her into the bliss that is sleep.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Flashing lights and a blaring horn warned of a battle about to take place outside of Peacemillion. Kyle burst out from under the avalanche of flannel sheets, goosedown comforters, and fluffy pillows at the alarm, arms flailing and sweat pouring down her face and covering her body. An idea that something important had occurred while she slept struck her for a moment as she suffered a bout of lethargy. Yet, her pathetic mood was quickly hit away with a stiff pillow to the head.  
  
"Kylee Sai~en, wake your ass up! There's been an attack, and someone's trying to get back here!" TopaZ held up her pillow, prepared to strike once more.  
  
"Fine! I'm up! I'm dressed, and I'm going to pilot my suit! Let's go!" Kyle stood up quickly, pulling on her spacesuit as she darted out the door. A yawn escaped her mouth, becoming trapped as the shimmering green helmet came over her head. TopaZ smiled as she heard her sister muttering into the tinted glass of her helmet, "I hate fighting twice in the same 12 hour timespan. It leaves you tired." And then everyone had situated themselves again in their suits and got ready to fight.  
  
"Duo," Heero's dead voice came over the Comm System. "Get your friend back here as soon as possible! Noin says the information she has could be vital. Everyone else, have fun." At the click of the speech's end, the doors boomed open and one by one the pilots exittd the hangar.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kyle stared through the Vid screen at the ensueing battle, adrenaline corrupting her enhanced blood into highly energized acid. Lights flared as two lasers flashed to readiness, neatly resembling two of the pilots actual dirks. And, as an inferior suit pounced upon ShadowLeaves, a crow of expectant delight warbled it's way from the throat of the self-titled, Earth's Vengence. Tonight she would show those boys how a {real} Gundam pilot should fight!  
  
Exhilirated, the Irish girl lunged at Dolls and Tauruses clustered throughout space. As she fought, peace stole over her in comforting waves. Oddly enough, this new peace frightened Kyle more than anything other than her fear of losing TopaZ ever had. And then, as she parried a thrust from a too-slow Aries, time slowed and the world as she knew it exploded as her Gundam fell apart. The force of the blast threw ShadowLeaves' pilot into the middle of a clash between Quatre and the enemy.  
  
  
***  
  
  
How now brown cow? A voice in the endless night of flashing stars cries out in remorse. A misplaced phrase with an unknown origin. Am I that cow? But wouldn't I be red and black? Or would I just never exist? The silent voice cries out in husky undertones no one can hear or understand. The stars stop their tireless pulsing for a moment and wonder at the disfigured beauty about to join them. "Not yet, Kylee Sai~en. Not yet, my elegant horse of red and black."  
  
And the stars ceased to exist.  
  
  
***  
  
  
TopaZ felt the exhileration of the fight at the beginning; the LightBringer always did. That is, she could feel the joy if a screak of terror and agony began, then was cut off just as it started. As the shock stunned her, allowing a doll to score a pointledd hit, a flash of light preceded the crumbling of a Gundam of black, green, and silver.  
  
SHADOWLEAVES!  
  
KYLEE SAI~EN...  
  
When the light had left a figure of green flashed dejected through the starless area they scirmished in, until a run-together between Quatre and one of the White Fang threatened to crush the fragile body of flesh between tons of metal.  
  
No longer did the planets orbit a sun destined to eventually abandon the planets and system it supprted. No longer did breath enter and leave a body of endless, grating laughter or boundless beauty. Life ceased to exist and all that could be seen was the sullen, seclusive older sister TopaZ had always known, and hoped, someday, to be able to protect as the older girl had attempted to protect. The loss of the God of Unshed Tears made crying possible, and, somehow, the idea had brought only more sobs.  
  
  
***  
  
  
A shriek that lasted only a moment. A flash of light. The deafening roar as a Gundam fell slowly apart, throwing her passenger clear into his path. An inevitable collision course showed itself on Quatre's Vid screen, even as it showed Ice Palace frozen in space as she obviously watched her sister's apparent death. And the normally gentle desert boy went berserk.  
  
Right now he didn't really know either of the Vandra sisters, but he had made plans to force Kyle to be his friend as well as Trowa's. For his sceme to work, he needed all of the pilots alive. As he thought, Quatre acted, throwing one of the curved swords resting on his back at the awaiting mecha before gently plucking the floating girl from the night. Ice Palace appeared beside Sandrock and held out an entreating hand. TopaZ's worried face appeared on the Vid screen, a fake grin plastered on the beautiful, pale visage.  
  
"I'll return her to the base. You keep fighting." And then the six little Gundams were three.  
  
  
And there ya go. I finally got the nextest part out. Your welcome. Now you can all review so the eigth chapter can come out... But that won't happen until at least Monday.  
  
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own them, never did.  
  
For the masses and PeZ. Sister-mine, you really should get around to reading this...  
  
  
Does all time feel the need to destroy my peace, my hard worn happiness? If so, can it take a day off, just once, maybe?   
~File 16, Subfile 4 of the thoughts of   
TopaZ Vandra~  
  
  
A body lay on a hard cot, unmoving but for the rise and fall of breath in it's chest. The usually tan skin showed itself to have lost all color and turned pasty. Lank hair of once-vibrant crimsons and ebonies turned dull lay limply against the harsh blankets that were a soldier's issue. Midnight's bloody crescents of lashes lay against dark circles of exhaustion, fluttering with terrors that nightmares from the past bring.  
  
TopaZ sat next to the comatose body of her sister, clutching raggedly at an icy hand. "Why couldn't you just let the mechanics do their jobs? Why, oh why did you have to be so damned self-sufficient? At least then you'd have been able to fight. C'mon, Kylee Sai~en, get off that cot! Get onto your lazy feet and keep your muscles from failing on you! Sai, I need you here, here to protect me..."   
  
Eyes gone white with grief and worry looked up as Wufei entered the sickroom. The intensity of her beauty startled him, as did the transfiguration of her ice-blue eyes. Concern burst into existence at the sight, and the Chinese boy strode to TopaZ's side intently, enveloping her in his arms.  
  
"Can't I protect you? Can't I keep you warm?"  
  
"Do you plan on following me into the women's bathroom?" at his stunned look, the girl's eyes returned, for a moment, to the soulful ice that showed her core as she chuckled. "It's not only the usefulness of a sister's protection in the femenine powder room, it's that she's always been there, even before Ice Palace. Through everything my older sister has always been there. My hero, though I'd never tell her. And you, Wufei, what do you wish to be?" blind, pleading, icy whiteness replaced the traces of color.  
  
Orbs of blackened cherry wood opened wide at the presumtuous question, yet he answered, his voice husky and rough. "Lover. Love. Life. Everything. Though I would like to know about what I eventually turn out to be. Call me if she gets any better. I must meditate." A tentative caress over an alabaster cheek. And then he was gone.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"My poor girl. Why do you do this to yourself? Haven't you yet figured out that mechanics are specialists at what they do?" Josh stood invisible next to the cot, holding the straining shade of the unconcious Kylee Sai~en.  
  
For a moment the animalistic struggles of the insubstantial Kyle ceased as she comtemplated the questions. "She no longer needs me, no matter what she believes. ShadowLeaves, and Leaves of Light if you really think about it, would always need me, but my most important responsibility no longer needs my protection, and my company is awful. If I don't, I'll remember someone else I failed to protect and the consequences. Hell, I may even remember a deeper past from before... Now let me leave, Josh! I've done with it." And all civilization flooded from the shadow who returned to its increasingly frantic pullings.   
  
  
***  
  
  
"Wufei, why can't the doctors wake her up? Why can't they make her come back?" a pale arm clutched roughly at Nataku's pilot, almost squeezing a wince out of him.  
  
Taking a deep breath before firmly removing her fingernails from inside his skin, the young man spoke quietly, so as to keep the hovering doctors from overhearing. "Do you know if they have tried any remedies for soul-sickness? Applied to the gods or goddesses she worships for safe return of her spirit? Have they told you whether or not she's otherwise physically well?" at the negating shake that made the tousled braids fall from their positions, Wufei continued. "Well, I might be able to help. That is, if you know what religion she is..."  
  
TopaZ groped at the thin hope before her. "She believes in the old ways of the Ancient Celts, even before the Church, as she says it, ruined the wondrous traditions. I suppose I could ask the Dagda and Danu to force her to return or give me the strength to return. It might be best if I bring her back. Oh, Wufei!" overcome, TopaZ gave Wufei a fleeting kiss.  
  
On the cheek.  
  
"Do you think you can find me three new black candles, a white candle, and a dark green on? Oh! And any dirk of hers." Looking slightly, Wufei departed to find the listed items.  
  
"God! What am I doing? I don't even {believe} in these gods and goddesses of hers; only that they may bring her back. Kyle, don't you {DARE} die on me! You are coming back." Agitation lent her speed which she hurriedly used to sketch out a graph of a triangle meticuously onto the slightly dirty dirty tiles that covered the metal floor.  
  
Sedately unbraiding her bound hair, TopaZ stood in the center of the triangle, not quite nervously awaiting the arrival of Wufei. As her gleaming hair fell past her bared shoulders, a squeak of surprise rang from behind her.  
  
"Hello, Quatre. Whatever brings you to my sister's sickroom so late at night?" oddly enough, the Irish girl actually hadn't been surprised by the Arabian's arrival; she had found out that Quatre and- this one gave her slight doubts- Trowa wanted to get to know the seemingly friendless Kyle. The image brought a rueful chuckle to her lips; her sister wanted so much to be left with her grief and guilt that everyone felt it became his or her duty to become the noise that caused the avalanche- in other words, make Kyle have friends. And she wanted none of it!  
  
"I just wanted to see how she was doing... I felt bad about not giving her a better welcome when she first arrived. Even I felt we didn't need a girl on our team. We'd never heard of you two or your Gundams; no street stories were circulated. All we knew was that there was a female pilot about to arrive- we hadn't learned you were coming yet- and that she would be giving us aid we sorely needed." The blond Arabian came over and gently placed his hand on TopaZ's shoulder. Immediately she flinched, muttering, "Don't touch me!" Eyes of blue sea-green clouded over in pain at any of the apparent reasons anyone might flinch from him.  
  
TopaZ saw it and immediately caught the albino hand. "I'm sorry, Quatre! After knowing Sai~en for sixteen years, you're bound to pick up one habit or another; that's mine." Wufei quietly entered at this point, his sharp eyes taking in everything that was or might be happening.  
  
"I brought what you asked fo, PaZ-chan. Noin had some. You owe me! Now that onna thinks I sit around with candles lit everywhere! Pah!" and without ceremony, he dumped the dirk and candles on the floor.  
  
TopaZ looked at the two different pilots anxiously. "I hate to ask this, but I think I have to do this alone. Do you understand why?" both nodded solemnly, though Quatre gave the candles a puzzled look, and quietly left.  
  
Placing a black candlePlacing a black candle on each tip, making sure they were inside the delicate line, the girl sat down at one end. Carefully, she set the white candle at the apock of the left angle, and the green candle at the right apock. Feeling considerably more than nervous, TopaZ lit the last two candles and began...  
  
"Danu, Daghda, I beseach thee..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Stiff and cramped, a pale head rose from it's slumped position, shakily tossing tangled crimps away from flushed cheeks. Iced eyes opened to see two concerned Gundam pilots crouched outside the chalk triangle, staring steadily at her. The darker one exhaled heavily when she grimaced at him while the other stood and hurriedly checked the unmoving body lieing on the hard cot.  
  
"Well, I did it." Carefully, the LightBringer shoved herself to her feet, pausing only to blow out the candles. Wonderingly she gazed at Wufei. "They're real, Wufei; they're actually real!" the words rushed from her rather breathlessly. "I talked with them. They said she would come back." Abruptly, TopaZ reached out and shook Wufei's shoulders, hard. "Babe, she's going to come back to me alright! She's coming back..."  
  
Quatre had remained unmoving next to the prostrate figure, yet a movement caused him to cry out hopefully. The door to the room opened and the other three pilots piled into the room, though only Duo had any expression other than superior hautiness or definitve secretive need. As the door closed, a pain-filled shriek echoed through the stark medicinal room. Kyle had awakened.  
  
"SHADOWLEAVES!!"  
  
  
  
There ya go. Chapter 8 all wrapped up and pretty. Sorry if TopaZ seemed a little out of character, but I felt this might be the best way to describe her when this happened. Hope ya'll liked it. Guess what!! Only three chapters and the epilogue to go. Hope you're looking forward to it! ^_^  
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: Other than the girls and their Gundams, you know I don't own them, and I know I don't own them.  
  
For the masses and PeZ... The end draws near, can you feel the tension? ^_^  
  
  
Imagine watching your parents die. Now, imagine the one person you've known your entire life dying before your very eyes. Dear God, how horrible! That's most people's reactions. But what if this person were your sister; the only person who had gone through training with the same relentless Taskers who attacked, even after two hours worth of artificial combat. The male pilots were to be the Colonies' flamboyant saviors. Sai and I, we were to be the boys' unseeable, unsuspected guardians. Yet...we're no longer unseeable, no longer unsuspected...  
~File 16, Subfile 7 of the thoughts of  
TopaZ Vandra~  
  
Kyle saw again the crumbling of ShadowLeaves, her last refuge against uselessness. Now all she could do to be of any use might be a spy mission while Jackob and the other mechanics fixed her beloved Gundam. She had failed... again. The doctors would now give one of the pilots the mission to kill her, and it would finally be over. Even as the starry midnight of sleep overcame her, Earth's Vengence wondered why Josh had not let her join him.  
  
  
***  
  
  
TopaZ raced through an endless hall of locked doors that constantly mocked her. She held only one key, only one door in the myriad supply of doors would open for her. The odd thing that puzzled the panting girl were the names etched in silver upon each cherry wood door; Kyle, Wufei, Seamus, Adam, Danny, Muma, Da, Melissa, Donna. Each name conjured sorrowful memories, bittersweet in their actual joy.  
  
Soft, warm arms smelling of gun powder and raw cookie dough encircled TopaZ's tense form. "Oh my poor dearling! What have I birthed you to be put through? How could we have led them straight to you? Tell me everything, kitten." Katalia's motherly hysteria proved too much for the weary pilot to bear... and so she told everything. Wufei's personality problems, Kyle's near-death experience, and the mission that would save the Gundam pilots after the war had ended.  
  
Eventually, Topaz tired of spilling her every secret and found a chair placed next to her. Gingerly sitting down, she stared at the image of her mother. Her dead mother. Somehow, she knew this was important. Otherwise Katalia wouldn't be able to be there. The idea that something more would happen to further ruin and complicate her already screwed over life infuriated TopaZ.  
  
"One of the doors has another key, kitten. That one has a specific door it opens." The startled girl looked up at the soft woman before her. Surprising herself, she jumped up to hug the mother who hadn't been there, to press gently against the deceivingly warm cheek.  
  
"You have to choose now, dearling. Don't worry; it will come out right if you follow what you believe. Be perfect, my shining blue TopaZ. Love will always find you." With a last, rough embrace, the dream faded away to reveal the doors once again.  
  
"Follow what I believe. Mother-dearest? Of course!" Slowly, TopaZ stopped at each door, touching and staring at the hard wood. She passed her parents, they were gone. She passed old friends. She passed the pilots. And then she opened a door.  
  
There stood Kyle, an old-fashioned key dangling from a string hung round her fingers. When she saw TopaZ enter the room, an ill-used grin lit up her scarred face. "I have room enough in my heart to share you, sister-mine. Take this and open his door!"  
  
The shaking TopaZ grasped the bronze key, exiting the room containing her sister. At the room etched with Wufei's name, the girl unlocked the door and let herself in. Immediately, a warm embrace encompassed her, letting her realize how much the cold hurt. If only Kylee Sai~en could feel this... As breath tickled her ear, TopaZ closed her eyes and leaned into the arms of Wufei.  
  
  
***  
  
  
A gasp escaped the lips of TopaZ Vandra as she awakened. And one thought plagued her; had Wufei realized what had occurred? Urgency flooded her, creating the need to visit him, prove that a choice {had} been made. Sparing a smile for her angrily grumbling sister, TopaZ stalked the short way to the Chinese boy's room. The moment she stood before his door, the knob turned and a large, strong hand pulled her from the corridor and into stark whiteness.  
  
"I was worried you'd ignore the signs. Oh, PaZ-chan, (a/n I know this is very uncharacterstic of Wufei, but what so we really know about what goes on when he actually loves someone?) that onna may have room for you to love many, but I have only enough for one; you. But you need to think seriously about what this could mean." A pause of profound silence followed by an even more profound kiss took the breath straight out of her lungs.  
  
"Wufei, I know I like you, but know that if I don't get enough space, I won't be able to take it. And I don't cheat." Stealing another kiss, TopaZ purposely returned to the room she shared with Kyle.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kyle turned over as her baby sister entered the room quietly. The tears couldn't be seen by anyone. Weakness equals ruin; this was one of the things with which she actually found Heero agreeable about. And Wufei as well, though his fixation on the idea that- no, TopaZ had chosen her first, but gone to Wufei. No matter how much she needed space, TopaZ had met her match in a stubborn Chinese man-child. Kyle sighed and forced herself to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
So, how was that for ya? Hope it was okay... And sorry bout the shortness, but this is what it is. Only two more chapters and the epilogue. Until next time. ^_^  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. The girls and their Gundams are, though. Don't take 'em until you ask, please.   
  
Well, peoples, there's only one more chapter and the epilogue left. Have the tears started yet? This is for the masses and TopaZ, if she ever ends up reading this...  
  
  
  
Does anybody listen to what is said rather than what is not said? Those who are so determined to force friendship on others seem not to realize that sometimes, that friendship is not asked for and somewhat unwanted.  
~File 16, Subfile 7 of the thoughts of  
TopaZ Vandra~  
  
TopaZ made no noise as she walked up to the meditating Arabian. There were a few things needing to be said between them, namely that Quatre should leave the now-slumbering Kyle alone in her solitude. "She never asked you to try to be her friend, ya know..."  
  
The blond's head jerked up at her cracking voice. "TopaZ, she never asked for it, but don't you think she needs friendship of some sort?" When he heard her indrawn breath, he turned around and continued. "She needs a friend who isn't her sister. Even you realize this. She realizes this, for Allah's sake! That's why she doesn't automatically kill Wufei everytime she sees him." Pleading, aqua eyes bore into TopaZ's snow-white orbs. "Shouldn't I at least try to be her friend?"  
  
Closing the mouth she hadn't known she'd opened, the Irish girl looked angrily at Quatre before storming away, mumbling about his fate being 'out of her hands'. Now feeling it his duty to talk to Kyle, Sandrock's pilot left the room as well. Moments later he found the emaciated girl staring moodily at the pile of parts that had once composed her beloved ShadowLeaves.  
  
"They can fix it, you know. And they will. And since Jackob's on the team, it'll get done especially fast." Quatre softly addressed the girl, half-worried she'd stick him to a wall with those dirks and daggers of hers.  
  
"Of course it will, love." The words were barely audible, mumbled absentmindedly to give the appearance of listening.  
  
Not quite ready to give up, he tried again. "I hope your feeling better... I don't know what having your Gundam fall apart around you is like, but Heero and Trowa do."  
  
Black eyes that should have been a shimmering green snapped around to look into his soul. "You, well, I'm sure you haven't been raped either. But maybe one of the others has. You'll have to ask them. And you obviously have Trowa, so you haven't lost your first love either. Maybe one of the others has though... I must say... WOW! You've comforted me a lot! Love, Earth's Vengence needs no one but herself, her Gundam, and her sister. And now I needs must rest up for what they've assigned for me to do tomorrow. Without ShadowLeaves." Acid and venom dripped the angry words as Kyle stood up and stalked wobbily to her room.  
  
Trowa found the small pilot about an hour or two later, curled up on the cold, metal floor. After being asked what was doing wrong, tears welled up in the aqua eyes. "I had no idea what had happened to her. I just tried to be her friend." When the Brazilian teen stood up to go glare down the newly revealed, Quatre quickly continued, "No, it's my fault. Trowa, we've all pretty much been tortured, right? But did they ever carry it over to rape? I didn't think so. And, we each have someone we love now, right? Even Wufei has TopaZ now. But, Trowa, Kyle has no one but her sister and her Gundam. And both are being taken from her in some way. Love, the big ones gave her a mission. She leaves tomorrow and she can barely walk steadily right now." Returning to his chipper self, Quatre hugged Trowa then began to walk towards the cafeteria. "Is lunch soon? I'm rather hungry."  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Oh ShadowLeaves! Why in the nine Hells am I the one the gods choose to torment continuously? First I lose Josh, then what little innocence left to me. Now, I get to loose my Gundam AND my sister. Who knows? Maybe the last thing I lose will be my life. Release." The musing girl continued to lean wearily against the glass window in the room that was now hers alone; this morning her darling baby sister had quietly moved her few belongings into the stark white of Wufei's room. "Well, my dearest, I suppose what all the medical Taskers worried about has finally come to pass- the oldest of the Vandra sisters has finally finished her downward spiral into the territory of those who are stark raving mad. I suppose the only thing left for me to do is retire gracefully, destroying as many of those damned bastards as possible while protecting my charges and my sister. Besides, what is a Gundam pilot without her Gundam? I believe I'll leave that answer to be found by those with a reason to live."  
  
Sighing, Kyle pushed herself from the window, her awe at the nearness of the stars suddenly turned stale. She had a few things to take care of before she could leave; she needed to say good-bye to ShadowLeaves, her sister, and even those she had so silently protected for years. And the very last thing she needed to do was the most important of all... Were it to be found too soon, well, an angry sister on her tail was NOT to be considered a good thing. Her heels carefully silenced with small cut-outs of thick cloth, the dark Vandra childe strode purposefully through the halls of the large space station. After a short while, the injured pilot took a sharp left and found herself in a short hallway containing four doors. Two on the left, only one occupied, and two on the right, both in use at the moment.  
  
For a short while, Kyle only stood there, grimacing at the two lines of doors holding those she was responsible for. Four boys forced to become men before even puberty hit, and one girl who had found her true love in a war of death and blood and spite far too soon after her bleeding had begun. For all who awaited the coming day, something had come too soon; even those who died prematurely awaited the outcome of the final battle, and the choice of the gods over who they would claim. The thought brought a grim smile to the scarred face of ShadowLeaves' pilot; she would give them no choice. On that happy-go-lucky note, she steeled her spine and knocked on the first of the doors to her right.  
  
Duo answered almost immediately, chipper as always. "Oh, hiya, Kyle. Whatcha doin' here?" For a moment the mask slipped as Heero came to the door as well and his sleeplessness was revealed. Yet only for a moment.  
  
Kyle looked at both for a second, considering carefully her words; she did not want them to believe her as weak as once they had. "I wish to thank both of you." The two teenage boys looked rather shocked. "I realize there seems to be no reason for my thanks, but being your unknown guardian, wanted or not, helped keep me alive after They took Josh. I needed purpose and guarding you gave me some purpose. Do not allow all my work to be in vain and those you guard will not allow your work to be in vain. I wish you luck in your endevors tomorrow, though you will not need it; your skills are too many and too great. Good-night, Duo, Heero. Sleep well." Bowing as properly as any Japanese, the Irish girl limped to the next door where she stood for about five minutes before it occurred to her to knock. Just as she raised her knuckles to the door, it began to glide smoothly open, revealing a smiling Quatre and a slightly bemused Trowa.  
  
"I have come to thank the both of you. I believe I'll leave why in the dark because it's easier that way. I also owe you an apology, Quatre..." For a split second the melodious voice almost became regretful. "I should not be harsh with one who was merely trying to be nice. I have become far too selfish recently. No matter. I should be leaving now. I have to thank the last of you lovebirds and then get some sleep." She smirked, the scar on her forehead furrowing. "You guys might even want to get some sleep if you want to be much use tomorrow. Good-night, Quatre, Trowa." Nodding, the girl with the black-streaked auburn hair began to limp to the next door.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Good-night, Quatre. Trowa needs your empathy more than I ever could." And sighing for what seemed the hundredth time that night, Kyle knocked on the last door of the occuppied rooms. TopaZ answered, modestly clad in nothing but one of Wufei's long dress shirts. Smiling as she would for no one but her sister, Kyle embraced TopaZ, murmuring into her ear, "Do I even wanna know?" When a blush was her only answer, she quickly shook her head. "Never mind... Wufei in?" With startling speed, the Chinese boy joined them in the doorway. Getting tired of her speech and, miracuously, becoming sleepy as well, Kyle decided to make the interview short and sweet... or just somewhat short...  
  
"I wanted to thank you for giving me some purpose after Josh was gone and I also wanted to wish you luck with your missions tomorrow. May the Goddess walk with your soul. Good-night, sister-mine, Wufei." Nodding for the last time that night, Kylee Sai~en returned to her remote room to prepare her final good-bye.  
  
  
  
Well? Was it angsty enough for ya'll? I sure as hell hope so! You know the drill... Read and review. Once the masses have reviewed Chapter Eleven will come out and much rejoicing can occur. ^_^  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Did anyone really think I possibly could have? TopaZ, Kyle, Ice Palace, and ShadowLeaves ARE mine, though.   
  
Hope ya'll enjoy this. PeZ, sister-dear, don't hate me... And I hope this is angsty enough for you, masses... Have fun! ^_^  
  
  
  
Were one to look at the Heavens that day or night, one would be terrified to discover the sky on fire. The stars were visible throughout that terrible day of waiting for my chance to do my part; above the world the specks of light exploded and battled together in a last, apocalyptic attempt to bring freedom to those who had abandonned them. I stared at the stars, wondering which held my sister, which held her beloved lover. Finally, my miniature Comm unit beeped, signalling me to my post. I smiled; hand to hand is what I love most. Almost regretfully, I see my sister's face. "Love you dearly, sister-mine... You'll be fine..."  
~File 17, Subfile 5 of the thoughts of   
Kyle Vandra~  
  
A small beep, lost immediately in the panic of the park, sounded from a tiny block of metal, causing the girl holding it to scowl for a moment. Suddenly, her scarred face broke into a harsh smile and, pushing a small strand of multi-colored hair behind her ear, she began gliding effortlessly through the crowds. At the edge of the park, there lay a small road, dusty from disuse; those who came to the park usually ended up walking there for the exercise. Frowning once again, the girl stood next to the road; she never actually began tapping her foot, yet her impatience eerily communicated itself to those who felt nosy enough to stop and look at the odd girl. Many did, a surprising fact considering all the excitement occurring outside. It may have been the scar crossing her forehead, or it may have been the fact that styles and clothes such as hers were rarely seen in those days- her clothes came from a time long past- that drew wondering eyes to her tense form. Yet, all quickly averted their eyes as they noticed her thinness and the hardness that seemed almost to emanate from her.  
  
After a maximum of five minutes, a small car of inconspicuous black stopped in front of the waiting girl. Turning back to glare at those watching her, she entered the car and it drove steadily off.  
  
"It's about time. They were beginning to wonder why I wasn't screaming my head off. You're late." Kyle hurriedly opened the glove compartment, grabbing the brush and an elastic hair tie or five. "So, Tasker-mine, which of you do I get to kill first?"  
  
The man driving the tiny vehicle spasmed for a moment as the weapon he had helped create comtinued to brush her hair, pulling it first into a ponytail in the middle of the back of her head. Grinning nonchalantly, the girl began braiding the length of it; once that had been completed, she wrapped the braid into a rather large bun. And settling back for what remained of the ride, Kyle completely ignored the tired, shaking man beside her; a man who had once had her jumping at his every command. This command was not his, but oh would she enjoy the jump!  
  
A mere hour and a half later, the two pulled into the complex where a majority of both their lives had been spent. Pausing for a moment, to all appearances lost in the nostalgia of seeing her old home again, Kyle once again looked up, worried for her pale sister- At that moment in space, the Gundam Ice Palace was being sucked of it's power, depriving the pilot of air vital to her survival. Gasping, TopaZ grimly, and painfully, lifted her Gundam's arm, firing a deadly shot into the center of the enemy mobile suit. Immediately, the power began to return and so the teenage girl continued to fight.- Shaking off the worry, Kyle Vandra pulled out her wavy dagger, whipping around to place it threateningly at the throat of the old-seeming Tasker- ina ll reality, he was no more than 35 years old.  
  
"Come along, dear. The other children are waiting for us, and you know how I do so hate to keep them waiting for too long. Anticipation is a cruel, cruel thing." Slyly smiling {a/n: has anyone noticed that Kyle's been smiling a lot in this chapter? I'll let you think about why she might be smiling}, she allowed the trembling man to precede her, not even bothering to guard him as he led her through the compound to the small lobby where almost all of the Taskers working there sat or stood. A few she had never seen had also joined them, apparentally, while some she remembered, none fondly, had yet to arrive. "Ten little indians, sitting in a row..." she smiled coyly at those gathered before her before pointing at her driver. "...one fell into the hot fire..." her smile faded as the dagger sliced across his bared throat, showering blood onto the carpet. "...and then there were nine. Call the others. I believe you have an order for me with which I can do my part to end this war." And as they waited for the four missing personel, she grabbed the nearest Tasker's white labcoat, calmly cleaning her blade.  
  
It took three men and a woman a total of twenty-five minutes to finally arrive at the gathering. Only one of the men did not have a field of wrinkles and a head of whitish-grey hair mixed with the original color to show for his work- that man had spent only about eight months on the project; his eight month exact count would have been Tuesday of the next week. After the last four had arrived, it seemed as if any hint of relief left the crowded room. Maybe it had.  
  
Jane, the only Tasker to ever have a name other than 'Tasker, m'am' or 'Tasker, sir' stood up, walking to where the body of her cousin decorated the floor. "Well, Kylee Sai~en. I do believe you are the only one capable of carrying out your last mission." The woman smiled, the crow's feet framing her eyes deepening. "Hell, you may even enjoy it." Her mood turned serious once again. "Gundam pilot 06, your mission is to kill all Taskers assembled before you and destroy any evidence that might aid in a future war. The suggested tool of destruction is fire, though that is your choice, ultimately. Do you accept?"   
  
Kyle glared at the woman before looking at the dead driver. "Is he dead?" Jane nodded sadly. "Mission accepted." Jane felt as the prong of the cold sai slid smoothly into her lungs, gasping at the sudden pain. "I just hope you have accepted your mission as well- stay put until I have come to you. If you have not, try to run now so you can bloody my blades that much sooner. Do you not hear them sing? Stand still, oh children; do as your elder commands and be good scions [1] as Earth's Vengence tells you of the dwindling dieing Indians..." Detached and almost regretful, the Irish girl watched herself kill the multitudes, watched as the bodies turned from mounds to hills to mountains, watched as blood ran in flood torrets along newly created riverbeds. And then there were no more little indians to fall onto the hot, hot fire.  
  
Amazed, almost disgusted, Kyle proudly- pride seemed to be the only thing she had even a tenuous hold on anymore- stalked from the death chamber to the compound's control room. Inside she found a small valve controlling the building's gas intake; grimly, the lever was turned to the left all the way to allow maximum leakage. As she waited the obligatory fifteen minutes for the gas to take, she thoroughly soaked all of the records she could find; even if they were wet now they would burn once the fires began in earnest.  
  
Kyle Vandra looked out across the large area encompassed by the building and training areas and hangars before she painstakingly made her way to the tiny dormitory dorm room she had had to share with TopaZ. The gas and her origianl weakness from the accident were beginning to catch up to her; even so, the compound would go, collapsing into the extensive honey-comb of basements that would also be aflame. Finally, the evils of her extinct childhood would be put to sleep for good. At rest for the first time since Josh's capture, Kylee Sai~en Aven Vandra laid down upon a bunk that was too small; and, cuddling around a ragged bear with one of its legs torn off after an especially difficult session, she pushed the large, red button.  
  
  
  
There ya go. It's almost complete. All that is left is the epilogue... Hope to hear from ya'll.  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


	12. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own them, never did. TopaZ, Kyle, Ice Palace, and ShadowLeaves ARE mine, though, so please don't take without asking.  
  
Here it is, folks, the final part in the Vandra sisters saga. The epilogue. Short, sweet, and to the point... And on to the fic. ^_^  
  
  
  
The only thing that had been found in th wreckage was a small, silver bead that, even when warped, read 'Trust.' Even that left all who knew what had really happened no comfort, for her last mission had been extremely vague for all but the reticent, Irish teen. Her earrings had been left on the nightstand in her metal room on Peacemillion to be found by TopaZ after the battles on Earth and in Space had ended. And once th small Celtic earrings had been moved, a small vid-screen had appeared and showed the screen framed in glittering ivy leaves. The only words on the screen were in a spidery script that also sparkled greenly:  
  
'Who could've thought that living for those  
you adore could be harder than dying for  
them? Would it be harder than killing for  
them? Will you ever be able to distinguish?  
  
When life says good-bye  
What will you say?'  
  
Tears welled up in icy blue eyes as she turned to the window Kyle had leaned against just two nights before. For a short while, all she could concentrate on was the pain she felt... and the anger. Yet, tears are only salt and water and soon hers dried to show an oddness about the windows that she was too far away from to be able to distinguish. Sorrowful, she stumbled forward to stare in awe at the two words etched into glass/plastic as well as periodically into the metal surrounding the window. As she stared in wonder at the audacity of her dead sister, Wufei came up behind her, enfolding his warm arms about her torso. Needing {and acknowledging that need} for once in her life, TopaZ leaned into the embrace; allowed his comfort to feebly attempt to fill the void where once her almost emotionless sister had been.   
  
Somewhat incoherently, she turned to her fiance. "I chose her first, you know. Family first." Not yet over the anger, she whirled to glare accusingly at the shimmreing screen. "I chose you first, dammit!" And then she collapsed, leaving Wufei to carry her from the room she had once shared.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"She knew, Heero. God-dammit-all, but she knew! And said not one thing!" Duo looked at the crowd attending the memorial- eight people: Duo, Heero, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, TopaZ, Sally Po, and Lucrecia Noin.  
  
"Say good-bye to her, Duo. You're not helping." Heero bowed to the place where the memorial stone would be placed and walked off, dragging the noisy American with him.  
  
TopaZ reverantly touched the small, silver bead. "She valued trust the most, over even love. Good-bye, sister-mine. May the Goddess walk with your soul." With the only good-bye important said, the others began to walk, cocooning the more beautiful of the Vandra sisters in the circle of comradery the war had begun and TopaZ had somehow completed.  
  
  
  
'When life says good-bye  
What will you say?'  
You're Welcome!  
  
  
Fini  
  
  
Well, it has been completed. Was it satisfactory to the masses as well as the readers? I hope so. PeZ, I know the character you created is somewhat out of character at times, but these were rather unusual situations and I tried my best. Good-day for the time being. If I get more reviews from people other than the masses, I may write another Gundam story.   
  
~The Alciontae Shadow~ 


End file.
